


Carnations and Cappuccinos

by ohheykat



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, coffee shop AU, flower shop au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 01:26:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19121800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohheykat/pseuds/ohheykat
Summary: Emma Nolan and Alyssa Greene have worked across the street from each other since they were babies. On Alyssa's first week of running her flower shop alone, she comes to find that it isn't as easy as she once thought. However, when she goes to trade some flowers for coffee, she gets a lot more than she bargains for. Aka a combination between a coffee shop au and a flower shop au





	Carnations and Cappuccinos

Edgewater, Indiana was a small town, with only four stoplights, a gas station, one school, the Nolan’s coffee shop, and the Greene’s flower shop. Many of the teenagers stopped by the coffee shop in the morning in order to get breakfast, as it was the only restaurant in town that sold food before 10 a.m. Betsy Nolan, the owner of the small shop only a block away from Edgewater High School, had refused to retire until her granddaughter became eighteen, when she could legally inherit the building herself. The idea of letting her son, the one who had disowned her precious Emma, inherit her beloved business put a pit in her stomach that she just couldn’t shake.

Emma had practically lived in the coffee shop from the time she was born. Before the falling out of her parents they had taken her there everyday to visit with her grandmother and have some hot chocolate. When she got a little older she began to helping her around as much as she could, wiping down tables and running the register and eventually learning to make her own coffee. Betsy began paying her as soon as she turned sixteen and working real hours, coming over everyday after school to help out. The coffee shop was her safe place. When the rest of the world was falling apart around her, the coffee shop was there with it’s fairy lights hanging from the ceiling and the strong smell of beans roasting in the back. 

Across the street was the Greene’s flower shop. Originally it had been run by both Mr. and Mrs. Greene, but when he left it had become a one woman business. Alyssa had been trained from the time she could walk to attract customers. When she was little she would stand outside the building and ask the people coming out of the Nolan’s coffee shop if they needed flowers for any reason. At the age of eight she had the idea to give away a rose everyday by picking out a random name and putting it on the sign outside. Coming in with it would earn you a free flower of your choice, but they usually wanted roses. It was a good way to earn business.

By the time she was in high school, the flower shop was always in business from different weddings, dances, and other celebrations that were happening year round. Her mother had even let her do most of the marketing, like setting up booths with different carnations and crafts she had made with the flowers at the festivals in the neighboring towns. Alyssa loved to show little kids how they could press the flowers when their parents were done with them, then make them into bookmarks or frame them. The older kids preferred to learn how to “trap” the smaller flowers in bottles with clear resin, or in transparent charms they could wear on necklaces and bracelets. It had become a hobby to sell these in her mother’s store, but teaching people how to make them was her real passion.

Mrs. Greene had decided to have Alyssa take over the store when she turned twenty. She believed that she was officially old enough to run her own business, and that she had taught her everything that she possibly could. Besides, Mrs. Greene had different projects she wanted to work on, but first a long vacation was in order. Hoping to give her a real trial run of keeping up with the flower shop herself, she leaves for her two week trip to Las Vegas the day that Alyssa began her takeover.

Of course, the first day of this decided to follow Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Her alarm didn’t go off, she couldn’t find her uniform,and by the time she got to work she realized she didn’t have her wallet and had no time to go back to get it. The idea of going without coffee after her restless night was unbearable, so she gathered all of her courage, as well as a bouquet of fresh roses, and walked herself across the street. 

Meanwhile, Emma Nolan had just opened for the day. It was nearly seven am, so she still had a little while before the local teenagers would be stopping by for their morning coffee and pastries. This time of day was usually a quiet one, so she was standing in the back, double checking all of her machines to make sure things could run smoothly that day. It surprised her when she heard the bell on the front door ring, and she nearly did a double take when she saw who it was.

Alyssa Greene was standing at the counter, looking exhausted while holding a bouquet of fresh roses. She was the prettiest girl in the entire town of Edgewater, maybe the entire state of Indiana. Hell, Emma was pretty sure she was the most beautiful girl in the entire world. She had never been to her humble coffee shop, that was what her mother did every morning while she wiped down the counters for the day. Her mother didn’t like Emma, they never made conversation like she could with the other customers, but she had to admit the young girl made a latte the exact way she liked it. Mrs. Greene always went to make sure Emma didn’t mess up, knowing her daughter was too forgiving of that kind of stuff, but she never did. 

So why was Alyssa Greene standing here right now?

“Hey,” Emma manages to smile at her, trying not to show just how nervous she is. “What can I get for you?”

“I have a bit of a strange offer,” Alyssa gives her a mischievous grin, and if she wasn’t careful Emma was going to melt from the heat rising in her cheeks. “So, I forgot my wallet at home. I promise that I will bring you money tomorrow to pay for my cappuccino, but for now,” she holds the flowers up, “I have brought a peace offering.”

Emma lets out a giggle that sounds like a schoolgirl, and she covers her mouth as soon as she does. Alyssa blushes, embarrassed, and stares at her feet. “Never mind, that was dumb, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have even asked or assumed that you would-”

“No, no it’s okay,” Emma cuts off her rambling. “We can totally do that, and you don’t have to pay me back. In fact, I think it’s kind of sweet that you brought flowers. I’ll take that as your payment everyday if you want.”

Alyssa’s eyes lit up as she said that, her head filling with the thousands of ways she could present flowers to Emma. While she was lost in thought, Emma made her cappuccino, finally breaking her out of her daydream when she handed it to her. Their hands brushed for a minute, eyes locking as they both felt it, before Emma quickly dropped hers. “Just make me a promise,” she smiles a little.

“Yeah, anything.”

“Make sure none of the kids are here when you come in. I can’t have it going around that I let people get away without paying,” she laughs a little, and Alyssa giggles.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure I’m sneaky,” she teases, sipping her coffee. “Oh my god you have no idea how much I need this.”

“Rough morning?”

“You can say that again,” she laughs a little. “It’s my first day by myself, and my mom’s taken over to Vegas for the next two weeks.”

“That sucks,” Emma laughs with her. “Well, if you need anything, just come get me. I’m usually pretty good at dealing with rude customers.”

“Yeah? Actually, is there any way I could get your number? It might come in handy ‘cause I’ve never been good at not bursting into tears when someone’s mad at me.”

“Of course!” Emma scribbles it onto a piece of paper. “Seriously, just call if you need anything.”

Alyssa nods happily, stuffing the scrap into her pocket before saying goodbye. She headed back to her shop, heart fluttering in a way that she did not yet know possible. As she slipped out the door Emma let out a deep breath, practically melting at the fact that she just had a conversation with Alyssa Greene. _Alyssa Greene brought her flowers. Alyssa Greene had her number now._ She stared at the bouquet of roses, taking in their beauty with a grin plastered on her face. Setting them in a vase, she sighs as she hears the doorbell ring again, knowing it means the morning rush has begun. She has to pause her daydream for now in order to prepare the fifty or so coffee and pastries she’ll sell this morning, and she just can’t wait to get back to it.

That night, Emma’s phone vibrates as she’s eating dinner in front of the tv with her grandmother. _Hey! What’s your favorite kind of flower? It’s Alyssa_

She smiles to herself, quickly responding. _Daffodils, I don’t know why I just think they’re gorgeous_

_Good choice! See you tomorrow, same time?_

_Sounds good!_

Betsy smirks at the grin on Emma’s face. “Who did you meet today at the shop?”

“No one,” Emma mumbles, blush creeping at her face.

“Don’t lie to me Emma Nolan.”

“Well, this girl came in this morning before the morning rush.”

“Who?”

“Alyssa Greene.”

_“Alyssa Greene!”_ she shrieks with delight. “Now that’s the flower shop owner’s girl! How on earth did you go about meeting her? Her mother always gets the coffee in the morning.”

“Apparently she’s leaving the shop to Alyssa.”

“Well, I’ll be,” she shakes her head in disbelief. “She never seemed like the type. I mean, that woman is a complete and total control freak. The idea of her leaving her store to anyone is pretty far-fetched I probably wouldn’t believe it if it had come from anyone but you.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think it would happen either.”

She found herself drifting in and out of thought. The idea of getting to see Alyssa Greene the next morning was enough to fill her with so much glee that she couldn’t think straight. Then again, when had anything Emma ever done straight? Her head was whirring with possibilities, but she knew that none of them were truly real. Her high school crush, those feelings she had pushed down so long ago, was coming back to her in a way she never imagined.

And honestly, she was happy about it.

…  
“Day six,” Alyssa jokes as she walks through the door.

“Day six,” Emma responds, beginning on her cappuccino. “What have you brought today for your trade offer?”

Alyssa pulls a necklace from behind her back, the small lavender petals encased in tiny bottle that the young girl had turned into a charm. “I also have a proposition.”

“Ooh,” Emma hands her the coffee as Alyssa hands her the necklace. “Do tell.”

“Come to dinner with me? There’s this great place up in the city. If you don’t already have plans I mean.”

“No! I mean I don’t have plans, I mean, yes, yes I’d like that a lot.”

“Really?” Alyssa grins, her eyes sparkling like glitter in sunlight. “Okay! I’ll pick you up at six.”

“Okay,” Emma grins, and they say their goodbyes before the teenagers can show up.

The realization hits her like a truck. She’s going on a date tonight. _She’s going on a date with Alyssa Greene._ “Holy fuck.”  
…

“Whoa,” Emma breathes as she climbs into Alyssa’s car. “You look stunning.”

“Speak for yourself,” Alyssa grins. “Excuse me a minute, I need to catch my breath cause you just took it away.”

Emma laughs at her pickup line, and they pull out of her driveway. Emma’s fears of awkward silence are soon brushed away as the two of them joke the entire way down, exchanging cheesy pickup lines and puns as they ride. It’s one moment in particular that really sticks with Emma, a moment that she would remember for the rest of her life.

They were stuck in traffic on the highway, and Alyssa seemed like she was beginning to get frustrated. They passed an orange diamond sign, finally revealing the reason that everything was so backed up. “Road work ahead?” Alyssa questions. “Uh yeah, I sure it hope it does!”

That was the moment Emma knew she was in love.

Their dinner was nice, although Emma swears that she had more fun in the car. On the way home, the silence settled in as they reached the highway, but it wasn’t awkward. It was more like they were both so content that there was nothing left to say. That is until Alyssa looked up suddenly, her eyes being illuminated by the passing street lights. “Want to take a detour?” she asks, the mischief that Emma had fallen for lighting up in her eyes.

“I’m always down for an adventure.”

Alyssa grins, taking a left turn instead of a right. They grew quiet again as they drove through the forest, taking in the scenery around them. The silence was only broken as they came to the edge, a cliff looking down on the city as if it were on display. “This is my favorite spot,” Alyssa says softly.

“Isn’t this where the high school kids come to make out?” Emma jokes, making Alyssa snort.

“They used to,” she sighs out. “I never did. Truth it, I never felt like I fit in in high school.”

“Never fit in? ‘Lys you were the most popular girl in school.”

“Yeah sure,” she almost whispers, her voice growing quieter with each word. “My whole life was a lie Emma. I wasn’t what my mother wanted, I wasn’t who I really was, I was this weird in between shell of a person. Sure, getting along with everyone is great, but do I talk to any of those people anymore? No. they aren’t my real friends, they never were.”

“‘Lys,” Emma reaches out, her hand brushing against her cheek. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to assume.”

“It’s okay,” she turns to face her, and Emma can see the tears beginning to form in her eyes. “I’m sorry, here I am complaining, and you probably had the worst high school experience of all. It must have been so hard to be ridiculed like that.”

Emma shrugs. “It was, but I got used to it. I realized that living my truth was more important, and I was going to find the right people eventually.”

“Do you think you have?”

Emma stares into her eyes for a moment, before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “Yes, I think I did.”

Alyssa kisses her again as soon as she says that, pressing for longer, more passionately. “You deserve to live your truth Alyssa Greene,” she whispers as they pull apart. 

“I’ll do it, if you’re here with me.”

“I always will be.”

She meant it.


End file.
